Influence of harvest season, cutting frequency and nitrogen fertilization of mountain meadows on yield, floristic composition and protein content of herbage

Abstract

-The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of cutting frequency, harvest season and nitrogen fertilization on yield and floristic composition of the herbage harvested from a mountain meadow. The meadow was divided into 22 plots, each receiving a different N P K fertilization treatment. The study lasted seven years, and during the first three years (1985)(1986)(1987) each plot was harvested twice per year (June and September) according to a traditional harvest system, whereas in the years 1989-1991 each plot was harvested three times per year (spring, summer and autumn) following a more intensive harvest system. Nitrogen fertilizer favoured the development of the grasses in spring, thus reducing the proportion of legumes in the two cut harvest system, whereas grasses reached an advanced stage of maturity before the first cut in late June. However, the three cut harvest system entailed an earlier first cut in spring. As a result, the production of legume biomass was significantly increased both in the first cut and in the subsequent regrowths. No significant response in total herbage production to the N fertilizer was observed in the more intensive harvest system. Therefore, the three cut harvest system without nitrogen fertilization seemed to be the most suitable practice for the management of these botanically-complex mountain meadows. These results may contribute to design fertilization and management practices of mountain hay meadows to optimize their productivity and sustainability.Key Words: chemical composition, cutting frequency, floristic composition, herbage yield, nitrogen fertilization Influência da estação da colheita, freqüência de corte e fertilização nitrogenada de prados de montanha sobre o rendimento, a composição botânica e o conteúdo de proteína da forragem RESUMO -O objetivo neste estudo foi investigar a influência da freqüência de corte, da estação de colheita e da adubação nitrogenada no rendimento e na composição botânica da forragem recolhida de um prado de montanha. O prado foi dividido em 22 parcelas, cada uma com nível de fertilização N P K. O estudo durou sete anos e, durante os três primeiros (1985)(1986)(1987), cada parcela foi cortada duas vezes por ano (junho e setembro), seguindo um sistema de aproveitamento tradicional, ao passo que, nos anos 1989-1991, cada parcela foi cortada três vezes por ano (primavera, verão e outono), seguindo um sistema de aproveitamento mais intensivo. O fertilizante nitrogenado favoreceu o desenvolvimento das gramíneas na primavera, reduzindo a proporção de leguminosas no sistema de dois cortes anuais, de modo que as gramíneas alcançaram etapa avançada de maturidade antes do primeiro corte, ao final do mês de junho. No entanto, com o sistema de três cortes anuais, o primeiro corte foi realizado mais cedo, na primavera. Conseqüentemente, a produção da biomassa de leguminosas aumentou significativamente, tanto no primeiro corte como nos rebrotes subseqüentes. Nenhum efeito significativo na produção total de forragem em respost...

Response of plant species composition, biomass production and biomass chemical properties to high N, P and K application rates in Dactylis glomerata‐ and Festuca arundinacea‐dominated grassland

“…The positive effect of N application on the N concentration was made clearly visible by the dark green colour of the vegetation in all N treatments when compared to the control and the P treatment. The positive effect of N application on the N concentration in biomass is in accordance with the results of other authors (Brum et al. , 2009).…”

The Rengen Grassland Experiment: relationship between soil and biomass chemical properties, amount of elements applied, and their uptake

“…Nitrogen application substantially decreased N concentration in the biomass from the D, E and F treatments compared with the control, although many researchers have recorded the opposite result, i.e., an increase in biomass N concentration with N application (Pelletier et al 2006;Pontes et al 2007;Aavola and Kärner 2008;Brum et al 2009;Liu et al 2010;Malhi et al 2010;Pan et al 2010). This can be explained in three possible ways.…”

Seasonality promotes grassland diversity: Interactions with mowing, fertilization and removal of dominant species

“…The importance of seasonal phenology for species coexistence and biodiversity has been rather overlooked and conclusions on the functioning of plant communities usually stem from data collected at the peak of plant production (Čop, Vidrih, & Hacin, 2009). However, competitive hierarchies, links between diversity and productivity, soil nutrient availability and taxonomic and functional traits may all change during the course of the growing season (Bergfur, Carlsson, & Milberg, 2004;Brum, López, García, Andrés, & Calleja, 2009;Gilhaus & Hölzel, 2016;Kleinebecker, Weber, & Hölzel, 2011;Mládek, Hejcman, Hejduk, Duchoslav, & Pavlů, 2011;Mládková et al, 2015). In European meadows, dominant species, usually grasses, are at the peak of their development around June and July, whereas subordinate species, often forbs, may occupy different phenological niches with their peaks shifted to earlier or later dates (Martínková, Šmilauer, & Mihulka, 2002).…”